


This is My Kingdom Come

by rainforestgeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s03 Chat Blanc, Episode: s03 Chat Blanc Spoilers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Episode: s03 Chat Blanc, one-sided identity reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:21:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainforestgeek/pseuds/rainforestgeek
Summary: Ladybug restored Chat Blanc to Chat Noir and fixed the future with the Miraculous Cure. She didn't, however, use the Lucky Charm the way she was supposed to.Now in the present, Marinette faces a near-akumatization and she realizes why Chat Blanc claimed their love had destroyed the world. She has to live with the knowledge that the love of her life will go through hell, even though her past self will save him.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	This is My Kingdom Come

**Author's Note:**

> I wouldn't call this a fix-it so much as a "what if"

Marinette's whole body felt like champagne. Finally, _finally_ she told Adrien she loved him! And he loved her back! The blessed couple of hours before he had to leave was...was a blur, and yet she remembered every detail with stark clarity. The spark of his hand touching hers. Breathing in the scent of his skin.

As she laid in bed she still felt the tingle of his kiss on her lips. She slowly drifted off to sleep.

Her dreams were confusing flashes of white lightning and endless ice. She was at the epicenter of a blinding storm and she struggled toward a dark shape that was too far away, at the mercy of the violent winds but somehow standing perfectly still. With every step Marinette took, he got smaller and blurrier. She reached out her hand and called to him but the storm ripped her voice into the ether. Fiery shards ice bit her face from the wind.

The storm buffeted her back and forth. She writhed trying to get her bearings. Someone called her name - but it wasn't him -

Marinette woke violently. Her mom knelt next to her in her loft, her hands on her shoulders, apparently having shaken her awake. Cold sweat clung to her hairline and her cheeks felt wet. She tasted salt in the corners of her mouth.

"Maman? What's happening?"

"You were screaming, sweetheart. Don't worry, it was just a nightmare." Her mom held her hand and stroked her hair. She spoke again once Marinette's breathing had evened out. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not...I'm not sure what I was dreaming." But she knew what the dream felt like. It was the same bone deep fear and desperation from yesterday. The future. 

Her mom scooted closer and cradled Marinette's head and back against her chest. Marinette listened to her heartbeat. "It must be all these akumas lately. I heard you calling out for Chat Noir. I'm so sorry, baby."

She didn't know the half of it. Marinette tried hard not to blink - every time her eyes shut, that blinding white-ice-blue invaded. She kept her eyes open and focused on the dark, quiet room, and her mother's fleece pajamas against her cheek. She couldn't have stopped the tears if she wanted to.

* * *

Maman was gone when Marinette woke again to her alarm. She hadn’t even registered falling back asleep. She grabbed at her phone until the noise shut off and cold air rushed over her body. Tikki had traitorously yanked her blankets off. The little kwami sat on her chest. “Did you dream again?”

Marinette rubbed her eyes. “I don’t think so. I… I know it’s over. But seeing Chat like that, seeing Paris destroyed…even Adrien couldn’t drive away that memory.” She sat up and hugged her knees, spurring Tikki to flutter up in front of her. “How could the best day of my life also be the worst?”

“Chat Noir is your friend, Marinette. It’s just as bad as having to fight Alya,” Tikki reasoned.

“It was worse,” Marinette heard herself murmur. Something hit her. “Oh Tikki, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think! Are you okay? Plagg was – will be – akumatized, too.”

“I’m fine.”

“Tikki.”

Her big blue eyes got shiny. “We saved them. Don’t worry about it, Marinette. You need to get to school – Adrien will be waiting for you!”

Marinette scrambled down the ladder so fast she almost fell to the floor. She threw half the contents of her closet to the floor one by one, trying to decide what to wear because _she was Adrien’s girlfriend now_ her outfit had to be perfect and her hair, oh god she couldn’t have a hair out of place! By the time she was dressed and had finished brushing her hair she only had ten minutes until class started, so Tikki headbutted her out of the room sans pigtails. She ate a croissant as fast as she could and grabbed a second, stuffing it in her mouth as she hurried down the stairs.

When Marinette ran across the street to school, Adrien was out in front, waiting for her. Happiness flooded through her and, swallowing the last bite of her breakfast, she charged into his arms. He caught her, giggling. She felt him kiss her cheek. "Good morning."

She looked up at him, face going hot. "H-hi."

He pulled back and bowed, holding out his hand to take hers. "Shall we, mi - Marinette?" He stammered for a moment. Marinette relaxed. Adrien was nervous, too, and acting like a romantic dork to boot.

She put her hand in his. "We shall."

Ladybug was anxious to see Chat Noir at their next patrol. Both in the sense that she dreaded talking him but also really needed to see him. Too many things they needed to talk about...or not talk about...it jumbled in her head. She felt like when she couldn’t tell Chat about the guardian and the miracle box, per Master Fu’s stubborn orders.

What if…what if she broke his heart now and that’s what will get him akumatized? She wanted to believe her partner was stronger than that. Every bone in her body _insisted_ Chat Noir was stronger than that. She would never believe it possible, had she not seen him with her own eyes: cloaked in white, with madness in his eyes and Armageddon at his fingertips. Ladybug wished she could have found a way to make sure Chat Blanc would never happen.

But you couldn’t play with time like that. There’s a reason Alix had the rabbit miraculous and not Marinette.

Chat Noir vaulted up in front of her from the street, flipping onto the rooftop beside her. He swung around to face her and leaned his hands and chin on his staff. A goofy smile graced his face. The boy practically glowed.

Ah, crabapples. The last thing she wanted to do was wipe that smile off his face. “That happy to see me, huh?”

“I’m always happy to see you; but what can I say, I had an amazing day.”

“Pray tell.”

Chat flopped onto his back on the tiled roof. She winced; that should have hurt, but he only stared dreamily up at her. “I’m in love, M’lady.”

Ladybug stiffened. Her mind skidded and spun, trying to make sense of that. _Isn’t he in love with me?_ she thought.

“She’s the most amazing girl, bugaboo,” he sighed. “She was always special to me, and I finally know why. I love her. Ugh, m’lady, I’ve been so blind!”

“Wouldn’t she mind your cute little pet names for me?” Ladybug joined him. His happiness was infectious and it swept her up in the memory of Adrien squeezing her tightly in a hug, like he never wanted to let go.

His expression turned sly. Like he knew something she didn’t. ( _Obviously. It’s_ his _civilian life._ ) “I’m sure she’d be just fine with it.” He softened and gently nudged her shoulder with his. “Hey. I’m still your partner. You won’t get rid of my annoying nicknames that easily. Bugaboo.”

Ladybug giggled. “I’m happy for you, kitty. Let’s get patrol started.”

Chat extended his pole to vault then paused and gave her a sly, sideways look. “So how about you? Did your boy get his head out of his butt and sweep you off your feet yet?”

She blushed and flung her yoyo. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” She pulled and flew over the skyline.

* * *

The nightmares kept coming. Marinette almost welcomed nighttime akumas because Chat Blanc was more terrifying than any of Hawk Moth’s other creations. And it gave her the opportunity to work out her frustrations in battle, with Chat _Noir_ by her side. It relieved her to see Chat in his black suit with a goofy smile and weirdly even-keel demeanor – and of course that ridiculous gold bell. Ladybug found herself flicking it from time to time to reassure herself that it was still there, still gold, still ringing.

Marinette wished she could talk to somebody about this. Chat or Adrien or Alya. She kept telling herself that it would all turn out okay: she’d already fixed it. In the future she already cured Chat Noir and restored Paris. But the question of _why_ – what will happen that’s so horrible that even her kitty would fall victim to Hawk Moth? – hovered over her head like a vacuum, draining her energy and pulling at her attention.


End file.
